1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the provision of Internet service. The invention relates more particularly to a system in which an end user to mediate his Internet service by exercising control over the access privileges, usage, content and other aspect of Internet use across his household network.
2. Background Art
Since the Internet was launched in 1995, online services have emerged for many consumer and business needs and applications. The power of the Internet has been attributed to its unique properties as a global, two-way medium that allows any user the ability to reach global users or businesses and interact with them, literally at the speed of light. The term “globalization” has become the new order of the economic day, powerfully enabled by the Internet, which has caused massive shifts and transformations in how consumers and businesses conduct their day-to-day personal and commercial business.
In today's “information age” people frequently perform various types of searches using computing devices connected to the Internet. The Internet has made searching for information far more simple than using manual techniques, which typically involve going to a library and searching through various indexes to find articles or books, for example. To perform a computerized search, a searcher simply enters a word or words (termed “keywords”) into a website query box in order to find information related to the entered words. Searching on the Internet has become so ubiquitous that Internet use is really no longer about searching, but rather about actually connecting with services that are suited to the needs of the user.
The success of the Internet has rested primarily on its ability to make information immediately available to and accessible by all. In early Internet applications, information came in the form of news and other information services delivered directly to end users. Later, many applications evolved into information exchanges, community-based sharing services, and eventually, to social networking and related applications.
In the early to middle part of the Internet expansion, search engines were the tool of choice for Internet users. In the absence of other mediums, search engines addressed the simple but profound human desire to explore and discover the expanding set of information available on the Internet. Today, search engines still play an important role. However, other mediums like social networking sites and apps on mobile devices have gained ground as the primary means for users to participate in today's Internet society.
In today's Internet, “sharing” is quickly replacing “exploring” as the primary Internet use case. Likewise, “individualization” (through self-selection) has begun to demand an equal place with “personalization” (intent based systems) in the informational hierarchy for end users. Against this backdrop, the search engine no longer dominates the end user mindset and is slowly becoming the tool of last resort for Internet users.
Today's Internet users are increasingly adopting platforms and services that allow a self-selected Internet experience as the primary means of access. A good example of this phenomenon would be the meteoric rise of social networking sites (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) and other web sites that allow selective, sophisticated and granular sharing (e.g. Flickr) among user groups and sub-groups. This new trend is not limited to the fixed line or home experience.
A prime example is the enthusiastic adoption by the public of Smartphones. Smartphones have transformed the mobile phone into a highly intuitive, easy to use, easy to individualize, device for an average consumer. Users may check and update their status on the go, use a variety of apps to access the informational warehouses on the Internet at their whim, link and share with other users, and control other applications. Each of these uses increases the Internet's impact on the daily lives of the users. Smartphone outlets allow users to self-select applications that serve their individual whims, from the frivolous to the informative. With all these new tools at their disposal, users can experience the Internet in a discrete, self-serve and transactional manner, separated from the need to rely on search engines as the primary discovery and access medium for the information available on the Internet.
With all its benefits, the Internet also has an unproductive and, in cases, destructive side. In fact, navigating, managing, and mediating the sometimes intrusive nature of the Internet is a challenge for every user. The challenge exists because of the ubiquitous nature of the Internet and the profound impact of the Internet on social interaction. Some of the inherent challenges of the Internet are listed in the following paragraphs.
The Internet has inherent duality. On the one hand, the Internet has vast positive value for users; on the other hand, it has an equal range of threats like malware—, phishing, virus etc. Most users today remain unprotected by client based (or network based solutions).
The Internet has become a utility class service that is founded on easy and immediately available information. However, other than “pulling the plug” there is no way to control the flow of information from the Internet, both good and bad. Not all Internet content is worthy of or appropriate for all users all the time. The complexity of household use in cases involving multiple users of different ages and levels of sophistication and maturity have not been adequately addressed in the prior art.
Examples of the shortcomings in the prior art are found in software packages that control the content displayed on the computers in a home. The packages will typically include no mechanism to manage other access devices, such as Smartphones, that may be available to members of the household that should be subject to policy enforcement. Therefore controlling content only at the computer level may accomplish little more than piquing the curiosity of certain users (children for instance). Accordingly, there is a need for a system which enables users to more effectively personalize the content of the Internet service they receive.